Reading Tone Marks: When They Appear and When They Are Dropped
How Yoruba tone marks work in writing, and how to read a text where some or all of them are missing.
Yoruba has three tones, and careful writing marks them with accents. In everyday messages, they are often left out.
The three marks
| Tone | Mark | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Low | grave accent | ìlù (drum) |
| High | acute accent | ó (he, she) |
| Mid | no mark | mo (I) |
In practice, the mid tone is the default and is usually left unmarked.
Minimal pairs
Some words differ only by tone:
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| igba | two hundred |
| ìgbà | time |
| igbá | calabash |
| ọkọ | husband |
| ọkọ̀ | vehicle |
For instance, ọkọ (husband) and ọkọ̀ (vehicle) share their letters and are told apart by tone.
When marks appear
- Textbooks and dictionaries: marks are shown.
- Formal writing: marks are usually shown.
- Names: often written with marks.
When marks are dropped
- Casual messages and social media
- Quick notes
- Signs and adverts
Readers use context to work out the word.
Reading unmarked text
- Read the whole sentence. Context usually settles the meaning.
- Consider the likely words.
- Look for patterns you know.
For learners
Learn words with their marks from the start. Dropping marks early makes it harder to hear and say tones correctly.
Dictionary help
A dictionary that shows marks lets you check each word's tones as you learn.
Tips
- Learn words with their tones.
- Use context for unmarked text.
- Listen to tone in speech.
English Yoruba Dictionary
Offline English–Yoruba dictionary with clear, accurate meanings
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